There and Back Again: A Mail Art Project

Man, it's been awhile...

2010-05-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

...But we're still doing this. Mr. Travis sent me this awhile back, I'll be changing it around and sending it back. Cheers!

Work From Mr. Jay

2009-10-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

Its interesting. Its strange. It leaves me with a "What the crap do I do with this?" kind of feeling. Which is good, it'll make me think more.

Work Back From Jay

2009-08-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

Got the work back from Jay.

He worked up the back so now

we both got a bird on either

side. I like it.

Better Quality Image

2009-08-19T10:20:00.000-07:00

I found a scanner! Here is a better image of what Travis sent me.

Before We Leave This One

2009-07-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

So another person came to my door the other day and handed me this.
I have to say this is perfect timing.
Travis blows up the world and here I've been given the opportunity to learn how to survive the explosion!

Back From Jay

2009-07-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

Got the work back from Jay. Explosively brilliant! Great work Mr. Jay. I think this one is done and it's time to start another.

Fine Art

2009-06-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

Travis also sent me this.

My lollipop face displayed as fine art.

Maybe some day...

Paradise Lost

2009-06-10T20:23:00.000-07:00

Travis has taken care of paradise for us.
I guess peace as well.
Whatever, the kid with the apples kind of bothered me anyway.

HOLY SWEET FIRST YEAR BATMAN!!!!

2009-06-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

Figured I would let the more non-attentive followers or random interweb surfers that Jay and I have been doing this for almost a whole year now, which as I see it, is pretty cool. Lets see how long we can keep this up.

2009-06-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Random addition to the mail art Jay sent. Arrived at his doorstep when he was in the process of drawing. Isn't that just the most P.C. painting you've ever seen? Three cheers for swill-merchants!!

New Work From Jay

2009-06-02T08:15:00.001-07:00

(Back) of what I got from Jay.
&

(Front)

Irradiated Killer Ballerina

2009-04-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

Apparently the radiation that somehow transformed an innocent ballerina into a blood lustful killer of gorillas also, ahem, killed her... or something. Very well done Mr. Travis, well done indeed.

More...

2009-03-01T21:52:00.001-08:00

...of the battling ballerina. Travis and I decided we might as well share some of the other photograph's that I took of the ballerina after her succesful eating of the gorilla heart.

Battling Ballerina

2009-02-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

A special thanks to Ashley Mclean for dressing up in a purple ballerina outfit and having fake blood, that wouldn't come off, smeared on her face.

Yeah, my bad.

The container said, wipe off with soap and water.

-Jay

2009-02-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

The front of what I received from Mr. Jay. He apparently had nothing to do with the destruction of the ape, it was the ballerinas. I must apologize for my assumption and boy, is she kinda creepy. Note the blood. See? Case in point. Good work Jay.

2009-02-27T17:41:00.000-08:00

The back of what I recieved from Mr. Jay.

After a long period of time...

2009-02-12T08:06:00.000-08:00

We have an image!

Sorry everyone, my computer and I have not been on the same page lately and it was swamped with a mass of viruses.

Anyway, that's why I've got the photo and no scanned image of what Travis had written to me.

But what we have here is some gorilla blood from the heart of the mighty gorilla that apparently I had killed, even though I give all the credit to the battling ballerinas for their heroism in the matter. They're the real killers.

Its Official

2009-01-20T16:49:00.000-08:00

2009-01-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

Jay will soon be hearing from PETA, or rather I will, since I'm posting the work. I ascertain however that no apes were harmed in the making of jays work. Perhaps some simian pride was hurt, but hey, laughter is a good cover-up. Jay for defeating this beast, you will be receiving what every Neolithic hunter thought of as the high water mark of rewards from such an astonishing kill.

Battling Ballerinas

2009-01-11T22:07:00.000-08:00

Beautiful work from Travis. This piece has everything: ballerinas, gorillas, and laser beams. Who could ask for more?

New Work for the New year

2009-01-07T10:39:00.000-08:00

Jays work got to me. Sorry about the mail mix-up folks, but hey, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

The piece I received from Jay was/is a card with Degas little dancers on it. Jay made it a hell of a lot more interesting. Like Degas ballerinas on a bad acid trip, wearing masks and trapped in a cage with a huge gorilla. Look out ladies.

Work Lost

2008-12-05T20:07:00.000-08:00

So I guess the work Travis sent me has been lost en route to Washington, but no worries. I am in the process of creating a new work of art and will be sending it shortly to our friend Travis. Hopefully without the same outcome.

-Jay

2008-10-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

2008-10-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

Jays work. (back) Theirs something slightly ironic about making a treasure map gold.

Treasure Map Piece

2008-10-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

Jays Work. (Front)

Travis Found a Treasure Map!

2008-10-12T12:14:00.001-07:00

Forgot to Mention.....

2008-10-02T08:08:00.001-07:00

Along with the work with his new additions, Jay also sent me a computer printout of everything that happened in the year 1966. Rows and rows of pertinent historical happenings, also, a little of the mundane. It is interesting to reflect on how Jay and myself have taken this little bit of "pointlessness" (the original letter) and manipulated it in such a way that it becomes important again. The original recipient in July of 1966 probably did not care for these piece of correspondence as much as Jay and I have, which also brings about another interesting question; how does this appropriation and manipulation reestablish a value, or even, how did it make it more important than it was ever meant to be.....

2008-09-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

(back) of what I had sent to Jay and he had well then, sent right back with additions. Love the added facial features and laser beams. the black/red addition really pops too.

2008-09-30T14:38:00.000-07:00

Jays work got here! It has some wonderful additions including the use of one of my stencils. That was a cool surprise. That added color to, damn Jay, sweet work.

Sorry People

2008-09-24T20:39:00.001-07:00

I wrote the wrong address and I got the mail back. I'm re-sending it with the new and improved Travis address.

-Jay

2008-09-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

Travis sent me this the other day.

2008-08-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

This blurb written by Jay sheds light in to the "why" of his alteration of the piece. It makes perfect sense.

2008-08-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

Jay added this qizmo which has an audio clip from "Forrest Gump" where Bubba is explaining all the things you can do with shrimp. I needed the laugh, it worked.

New Work

2008-08-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

A little musing from Mr. Helmkamp.

2008-08-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

The back. Jay took the shredded remains of his letter and put it back togethor. I love the disregard of putting the work togethor in a manner which is completely unlegible.

2008-08-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

Front of what I received from Jay. He used the ashes of his earlier work inside the vial I sent him, and ink. Sort of a sickly pin-up/anima girl. Making light of the current popularity and trend.

Travis's Work

2008-07-21T15:08:00.000-07:00

The charred remains of my drawing now contained in a little vile and my letter made into confetti hmmmm... nice Travis, I'm guessing you didn't like my letter? Trying to package a new way of creating and selling art by adding water? Haha.

2008-07-13T18:32:00.000-07:00

The actual work........or the remains. Sort of depends on how you look at it I guess. Personally, I love it.

2008-07-13T18:31:00.001-07:00

2nd page

Beginning of 2nd work

2008-07-13T18:25:00.000-07:00

The letter which came with the actual work. It is an important part of the piece that came with it, so, you may want to read it web surfer.

2008-07-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

Travis' work. Love the red.

2008-07-13T12:04:00.000-07:00

The back of what I recieved from Jay. More tape, more text and a section of a napkin. (Back)

2008-07-13T12:02:00.000-07:00

This is what I got back from Jay. (Front) He cropped it and appropriated the pieces into the work. He also added tape and the text "this side up" around the tape.

2008-06-24T17:51:00.000-07:00

Travis' work. The beggining of this project.